East Delaware Tunnel facts for kids
The East Delaware Tunnel is a really long underground pipe, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) long. It's a super important part of the New York City water supply system, which brings fresh drinking water to millions of people in New York City. This giant tunnel helps move water from one big lake, the Pepacton Reservoir, to another, the Rondout Reservoir.
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The East Delaware Tunnel: A Giant Water Pipe
What is the East Delaware Tunnel?
The East Delaware Tunnel is like a huge, hidden river flowing underground. It's called an aqueduct, which is a special channel built to carry water from one place to another. This particular aqueduct is a key part of how New York City gets its drinking water every day.
Where is This Giant Pipe?
This amazing tunnel is located in the beautiful Catskill Mountains in New York State. It starts near a place that used to be called Pepacton, New York, and it ends near where Eureka, New York once stood. As it travels underground, it passes through three different counties:
When Was the Tunnel Built?
Building something as big as the East Delaware Tunnel takes a lot of time and effort! Construction began in 1949 and was finished just six years later, in 1955. Imagine all the hard work that went into digging this massive underground pathway!
How Does It Work?
The main job of the East Delaware Tunnel is to move fresh water. It takes water from the Pepacton Reservoir, which is one of the largest reservoirs in the New York City water supply system. Then, it carries this water to the Rondout Reservoir. From the Rondout Reservoir, the water continues its journey through other tunnels and pipes until it reaches homes and businesses in New York City.
How Big is the Tunnel?
This tunnel is quite impressive in size:
- It is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) long.
- It is 11 feet (about 3.3 meters) wide. That's wider than a car!
- It can carry a huge amount of water every day. It has the ability to move up to 500 million US gallons (about 1.9 billion liters) of water daily. That's enough water to fill hundreds of Olympic-sized swimming pools every single day!
The East Delaware Tunnel is a true engineering marvel, quietly working underground to provide clean water to millions.
